IN DEFENCE OF ASUU This message title could have been also titled: “The plight of ASUU and a poorly educated nation” or “A Love Letter to ASUU” where the later is inspired by my book titled “A Love Letter to My Son” about to be published. To ASUU, without reservations and any sense of evocation, I wish to state here that, you are the most reliable pressure group we have had in this country for decades. And those who wish away a group like yours are those ignorant men, some evil or selfish who lack the requisite knowledge or moral base on how an ideal contemporary human society should be. When Yar’adua/Goodluck emerged president and vice president respectively, in 2007, members of the intelligentsia/academia heaved a sigh of relieve for the reason that, for the first time an “educated duo” was finally in charge and Nigerians would witness true leadership. And so too was GoodLuck /Sambo pair in 2011. I personally used to be a fan of President Goodluck Jonathan partly because of the sentiments that he is an educationist and an ethnic minority, until the twist of events in this on-going ASUU strike. I have drawn from the wealth of wisdom of some scholars in building this exposition. First; Socrates’ (470-399BC) idea of whom he called the educated are; “First, those who manage well circumstances which they encounter day by day; and those who can judge situations appropriately as they arise and rarely miss the suitable course of action. Next, those who are not spoiled by their successes, who do not desert their true selves, but hold their ground steadfastly as wise and sober-minded men, rejoicing no more in the good things that have come to them through chance than in those which through their own nature and intelligence are theirs since birth... These are educated – possessed of all the virtues”. Secondly, Benjamin Disreali (Dec 1804 – 19 April 1881), a British born and renowned educationist and two-time prime minister of the U.K asserted that, “Only the educated race can successfully govern their people…” Thirdly, “Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive, easy to govern but impossible to enslave” – (Unknown) I want to react to the government’s insensitivity and those who follow them blindly or mischievously with another school of thought of the concept of Boko Haram. In this new concept; when elite who are groomed to be light bring darkness through corruption and greed. When a man had trekked miles bare-foot to his primary school, later enjoyed scholarships to achieve a height in education/life. If such ones do not know the road to these same schools that made them; schools now with disjoined/open roofs, dust-floors, overcrowded classrooms, do not care how many pupils make it in the common entrance or SSCE. They use their pen and position to take funds and deprive a greater population opportunities especially quality education one of which is opposing a noble cause such as that of ASUU. When an educated man had allowed ethnic/religious bigotry to beclouds his judgment against competence and merit. This concept will be further highlighted in another episode. I find many of the attacks on ASUU bizarre and unfortunate; (i) that the professors and the politicians/burgeo children are schooling abroad that’s why ASUU don’t care about the students. My response is, first: it is morally wrong for an ASUU elite – a custodian of knowledge to place his children at a educational disadvantage position to those of ‘money-miss road’ elites. Secondly; those who want to further confuse the people with this argument are either compromising or advocating for the Apartheid – ‘Bantu’ – kind of education in Nigeria. Again, I watched with soberness on AIT Monday 21st October, 2013 8.pm news where a section of ‘NANS’ (National Association of Nigerian Students) was captured demonstrating against the strike, where they made three (3) unfounded submissions one of which is; they were asking why state universities joined federal universities to strike. The question is; are the certificates of state universities expected to be inferior and perhaps their graduates employed in a different economy other than graduates from federal universities? I figured out that in their (‘NANS’) speech, the vibrancy of ‘Aluta’ articulation was lacking and I concluded; these were ‘gbemites’ in ‘gbemitism’ (cash and carry unionism). You will be shocked at the responses you get if you confront such a group with the simple question of the full meaning of ASUU let alone what ASUU is really asking for. The next Sunday evening, I was in a service – A prayer for the Nigerian Nation. The first coordinator (I went late) I listened to again said; years back ASUU members owned Volkswagen cars but now fleet of cars; he again cited Mr. President’s speech on why should state universities join the strike. As I looked out the window and realizing I was in a university environment, at that moment, I felt betrayed and was tempted to take my Bible and leave (thank God I didn’t). These arguments against ASUU can only hold sway in a country like ours suffering from the 23% syndrome of poor educated populace. For decades, this 23% status of educated citizens has been a source of concern to sound minds. And ASUU had advocated consistently for quality education for a wider populace. The 26% of National budget demand for the educational sector by ASUU is beyond a cry for their pockets. Also, their well being would enhance quality service delivery leading to an educated and true democratic society. The military gave such poor attention to education because of their belief in the gun. It suffices to say here that, the super powers budget so much for defense (not at the expense of education) because they ask for more trouble outside their domains. “If we don’t have an informed electorate, we don’t have a democracy” says Jim Lehrer, an American broadcast journalist. Quality education will free us from the show of shame we see in this country. For example, when a governor steals money and is visited by the law, or when a minister uses hundreds of millions to purchase personal cars and conscious minded Nigerians are asking for justice, such misfits have youths who roll out drums and cry “He is our man! Our own!” In their support. The misguided group could be led by a PhD holder; however, these are signs of a weak educational system of a country. It is unfortunate we still have an analog minded legislator who still argues that ‘if ASUU think it is easy they should come and contest elections’. He is insensitive of how Nigerians feel about the jumbo size pay of politicians and legislators are yet to disprove they are the most expensive in the Vworld, and these are supposed to be the ‘intellectual arm’ of government. Such political office holders against ASUU are coming to terms that Nigerians are increasingly aware of their rights; one of such will be a firm demand of pay cut of politicians to save the rot in education, should they insist there’s no money. These greedy ones are simply safeguarding their ‘income’ to this effect. Else where in the advanced world, public servants have always been in the fore front to lay down their lives for all, but here the civil servant is required to be more patriotic. “The first duty of a university is to teach wisdom, not trade, character not technicalities” (Winston Churchill). We are looking forward to a return of the days when a corrupt government will think twice before approaching a university Don for a political appointment. Again the teaching and sustenance of character and wisdom by the Tutors will be further enhanced if their demands are met. They (ASUU) are interested in making our Universities/Education attractive so that foreigners too can come with their wealth of experiences and also spend their money here. It is shallow; perhaps selfishness and mindlessness that only attribute strikes as the bane of Nigerian Universities without looking at the causes. It is unfortunate that the classroom teacher is a position which is now a compensation by politicians to foot soldiers who help them win elections asking them to ‘manage’ with until some bigger rewards come. The character and competence of these teachers are not considered. We want the classrooms manned by people who are competent, comfortable and happy doing the job. It is true that teachers/lecturers must not be billionaires from their salaries and also true that civil servants generally don’t earn like private sector elsewhere in advance countries but most often they are not hungry, but consoled with a reasonable and guaranteed retirement benefits. If we want a true democracy, there must be justice in distribution of income in this case high pay which in turn effect wide patronage of goods and services in the market. And again, both the average business man who benefits from this and the average income earner can have little to spare in supporting campaigns of leaders of their choice. Taking a queue from the Obama’s election, even the military and the ordinary citizens brought out from their pockets to support him. That is democracy by the people which will always be for the people even for conscious sake by the leaders. Our case is different; the burgeons want to withhold knowledge and resources from the people to incapacitate them of thinking wide and deep to decide for themselves. Politicians during electioneering throw crumbs from their accumulations at the impoverished mass populace who jump at these baits and told to be happy because “things are better off than in the days of Mr. Jones (The military) – see Animal farm – George Owell. “The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed” – (Steve Biko). They (Political leaders) have killed our public Primary and Secondary Schools; only the Universities are struggling to withstand their evils. The new approach of internal colonialism/oppression is for elites to give their children more quality education in private schools at home and abroad. We observed that through the preference of foreign certificates from Obasanjo’s regime. I write with a sense of nostalgia, first as H.O.D of a department of a school, I’m privileged to see the poorly written application letters and duty reports by graduates – NYSC serving in the school. I also remember one evening, when I was winding up as an undergraduate in A.B.U Zaria. I and a friend who read pharmacy were recounting our experiences in the famous ‘Bamuda triangle’. We were comically making fun of our toils and strives in viewing specimens under the outdated microscopes; “Did you see it?” “It’s there”/ “No! It’s not there”... I also remember the sight of obsolete and abandoned machines that are eyesores, only fit for the museum in the faculty of Engineering. Again, my mind raced back to my child/boy hood in the 80’s in Zaria when one sits and listens to informal intellectual debates among parents and elderly ones that was the vogue of the community. When the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS) served as a town hall for both national and international affairs. Names like late Dr. Bala Usman, then Dr. Attahiru Jega and Prof. Patrick Wilmot Sounded like gods in our young but sensitive ears. Today, politicians have aided mediocrity where religion/ethnicity are powerful influence in the activities of the University. Places of worship out number lecture theatres and so on. The endemic diseases: - (1) ‘I pass my neighbor’ is a neighboring sign of a poor mindset and only quality education can heal it. (2) The crave and craze for foreign schools by many average families today in our country is not necessarily to acquire good education for their wards but a symptom of ‘I have arrived/I pass my neighbor’ syndrome especially in those who despise ASUU. Quality education when achieved, breeds, critical and innovative minds and the Universities are the thinking tanks of the society. Benjamin Disreali again said; “To govern men you must either excel them in their accomplishment or you despise them” Let’s stop despising knowledge and her givers, then it will be well with us. Simple minds think ASUU are irrational, rational minds think both government/ASUU are right/wrong, but informed minds carved out for the truth know and are bold to say government are wrong. I watched Dr. Fagge the National ASUU chairman on AIT (Tues morning 28/10/2013) with admiration as he informed that, palliatives are not the solutions, as we (ASUU/government) will always come back to same issues. They were a set of intellectuals who look into things critically before taking any decision. He concluded; “why can’t you (referring to the interviewer) beg government to answer ASUU?” That the odds must always be in favour of the elderly, the strong, the rich and powerful and always against the young, the weak, the poor and the led shows something is wrong with our value system . Now, it’s obvious that government have always treated the ASUU problem symptomatically. One of which is the propaganda that ASUU are asking for benefits. The distorted and ignorant minds immediately would find it difficult to reason why government won’t improve the standards of the learning environment and meet other demands which ASUU say do not really require money. Let’s see whether the strikes will continue if the government provides the enabling environment in the University system. Academics are people paid to think and groom thinkers for the society. And these sages are saying Nigeria does not have a future if the present rot and decay in the education continue to live with us. How long are we going to train people but will not utilize their professional expertise? I had earlier talked of walking out during a prayer session and also fingered a situation of having worship centers more than lecture theatres in academic environments. The average Nigerian religious mind will say here comes another communist or Atheist. It is sad in a religious country like Nigeria; intellectual masturbation which is a pillar of societal development is considered ungodly. And that forces me to ask the questions; was Karlmax actually right when he said as it is commonly perceived, religion is the Opium of the masses? Another poet wrote “Must a Christ die for every generation because some people lack imagination?” Prof Gorge Moss (University of Michigan) after a study 4 in Ghana/Nigeria has this to say in 2006 in Calabar. “Nigeria will never have a world class educational system until education becomes a priority of the governmental leaders. Such is most definitely a priority at the present time. I saw children attending primary and secondary schools that were disgraceful, buildings that should be condemned for being insanitary, classrooms without books, teachers without instruments to teach. Which was a stark contrast to the beauty of the children, their self discipline, the respect they had for teachers”. Again, the 26% annual National budget allocation to the educational sector according to ASUU will not only revolutionized the Universities, but will go down to our primary Schools, most probably if teaching incentives become attractive, quality teachers will be willing to stay in our village schools to raise our long awaited Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandelas, and also cope the chaff that are sent to the Universities as students which the system struggles with. Anyone, especially the elites who thinks this decent proposal by ASUU is too much for the educational sector probably belongs to this hypothetical sect of Boko Haram. Therefore, we call on all schools at all levels to join this strike not because we want hooligans on the streets, but that when the right thing is done, they will be taken off our streets. We are deeply concerned about the activities and tendencies of the educated hooligans. “Universities are turning out highly skilled barbarians because we don’t provide a framework of values to young people, who more and more are searching for it” – Steven Mullar, President. John Hopkins University. This is not far from the reason why student unionism on many Nigerian campuses has been hijacked by cultists. We therefore appeal to Nigerian students; the hope of tomorrow and instruments of positive change not to take sides with the oppressive elites. Your cooperation with ASUU will ensure your sacrifice for a better Nigeria. Mahatma Gandhi went on hunger strike; Mandela compromised royalty and a lucrative profession etcetera sacrificed for the benefit of all. These personalities naturally should be your mentors. A few years delayed in schooling is never a future denied! Rise up! Speak out! Hear them! (Oppressors) plead for your return to school as if they made available waiting job vacancies as in their days when they leave school. The few vacancies are exclusive reserves for their wards, their friends’ wards, relations, political thugs and girl friends. They are refusing to answer ASUU probably as a delay tactics not to graduate the next set of students because they don’t have anything for them outside school. Government schools have become social – detention centers for children and youths to avoid them roaming the streets so that government irresponsibility will not be exposed and perhaps to avoid uprisings. If we continue this way, a time will come if one doesn’t ‘speak through the nose’ (with foreign accent) one won’t even be appointed a commissioner let alone minister. It is education that gives a society the hope of egaliterism; “The ordinary citizen is equal to every citizen and enjoy equal right. This equality enjoins the equality of justice and equality of opportunity. No position in the public life can be said to be far from his reach because of his birth or creed – provided of course he deserves it by education and qualification…” To our governmental leaders and other stake holders, we friends of ASUU maintain that; if 36 ministers have access to N200 million naira each for 2 cars alone at ago, to preserve their individual lives, then N1.5 trillion naira is not too much for our Universities in four years. Considering the wide range effect on millions of lives and generations to come. Mr. President should be honorable to honor the 2009 agreement reached with ASUU. He must realized that the call for leadership is first of all a call for responsibility therefore, every good father will desire he brings up children after his kind or even excel his successes. Thus, Mr. President should work assiduously towards raising future Dr. Goodlucks who will be more comported, convincing, philosophical and articulating in a presidential debate than the less educated ATIKUS. Prof. Gorge Moss later wrote in U.S.A: “what Nigerian people need is what is needed in most nations, a government that is as great as its people” Finally, we enjoin ASUU to hold the forte, cheer up! Comrades. We can feel the sign of victory we see more meaningful Nigerians going your side everyday. Chant this slogan: “In confidence we lay our cause before the world, whether we win or die, freedom will rise in Africa”. – Paul Kruger (president, of the republic of the Transvaal) By: Goodheart A. Sheyin Sabo Tasha Kaduna For friends of ASUU Text: 07068350207
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 17:39:31 +0000
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